26 Of America's Most Beautiful Coastal Views

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From towering Pacific Northwest sea stacks to mile upon mile of mirage-like tidal flats, these 10 littoral landscapes take ocean views to a new level.

People often talk about how moving the shore is—a place that relaxes, awakens, and recharges. Then there are those whom, well, it literally moves: “Our family loved going to the beach so much that we spontaneously picked up and moved our family of six there! No job, no plan, no idea whether we’d truly like it or not.... We just did it,” says Mike Ragsdale, formerly of Birmingham, AL, now of Santa Rosa Beach, FL. “That was almost four years ago, and we all agree it was the best thing we ever did as a family.”

What is it about ocean shorelines that has such power? They touch every sense: the redolence of fresh sea breeze, the sand underfoot, the sparkling sunsets, and the white noise of crashing waves. Whether you’re reclining on windswept sands or trekking across dizzying bluffs, the ebb and flow of the water is hypnotic, and its sheer expanse grounding. Something as vast as the ocean just puts all of life’s little worries into perspective.

“For me, it’s the freedom that comes with a coastal visit that’s particularly appealing,” says Jeanna Zelin, founder of Retreats by the Sea, which organizes luxury wellness getaways to such beachside destinations as Portland, ME; Santa Barbara, CA; and Chatham, MA. “You’re on vacation, so there’s no work to be done. Plus, the textures and scents and sounds of the surf carry your mind away—you turn off your left brain and just start feeling.”

Zelin’s lifelong affinity for the beach stems from childhood summers on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where wild ponies roam on certain shores. Those on Shackleford Banks have a special story, says Zelin: “The origin of the Shackleford horses, according to my relatives in North Carolina, is a mystery—with the most common legend telling the story of Spanish mustangs swimming ashore from a wrecked ship.” Camping next to meandering horses, especially ones with such an exotic backstory, makes for the most romantic and rustic of beach scenes.

Treasures can be found along all of the United States’ coasts, 95 thousand miles of eastern, western, northern, and southern shoreline that exemplify the diversity our country has to offer. Rent a convertible, crank up some Beach Boys, and cruise down the glittery glam beaches that line California’s Pacific Coast Highway. Or, for a more isolated drive, try winding in and out of the majestic fjords draping southeast Alaska’s forested border, a haven for bald eagles and humpback whales.

So whether you crave a bracing hike along blustery seaside cliffs or a relaxed afternoon under the fiery sun, the U.S. has a shore to match your every mood—and views that will blow you away.

Tongass National Forest, AK
Alaska’s Tongass National Forest—the largest in the U.S.—is a rainforest (albeit a temperate one) on Alaska’s southern coast. All that precipitation makes for a spectacular landscape, with mist-obscured coves, mighty waterfalls, and North Pacific fjords as immense and enchanting as Norway’s. Plus, the extraordinary wildlife (think bald eagles, porcupines, black bears) is exactly what one dreams of in Alaska, and the activities are endless, from fly-fishing to sea kayaking.

Insider Tip: From May through the first week of September, Orvis’s eight-day Cruising Southeast Alaska package will help you access the hard-to-get-to spots on intimate ships, with onboard naturalists who accompany guests during onshore excursions.

Long Beach, WA
This 28-mile-long finger of land dips into the Pacific at just the spot where the Columbia River shoots into the ocean. While it may or may not be the “World’s Longest Beach,” as a sign asserts, it is most certainly among the most untouched and hasn’t changed much in the two centuries since Lewis and Clark finished their expedition there. Take in the same view of the magical sunlit shore they must have admired while walking the 8.5-mile Discovery Trail that traces part of their route or stroll along the half-mile wooden boardwalk resting on top of the dunes.

South Padre Island, TX
The beauty of the 34 miles of undeveloped beaches and dunes at Texas’s southernmost tip is best experienced in the pristine blue waters: sports fans can try windsurfing, kite-surfing, or sand-surfing. Board-free doesn’t mean bored, though: go for a horseback ride on the beach or paddle a kayak through back bays and inlets; jump a fishing charter or dolphin-watching cruise; or just drive out to the end of the northbound road, cross the dunes to an empty beach, and pretend you’re on a deserted island. Unwind at day’s end while watching the sunset behind the calm waters of the Laguna Madre Bay on the island’s western shore.

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